Filling-machine.



I'. G. H.` STRASBURGER.

PLLING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.26,1908.

Patented Feb.8,1910.

eeee Ilell n srarns PATENT onrrcn.

FRANK C. E. STBASBURGER, OF CHICAGO; ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 BOTTLERS MA- CHINEEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AZCORPORATION Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

or ILLINOIS.

FILLING-MACHINE.

948,463.. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 26, 1908. Serial No. 469,434.-

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. H. STRAS- BUBGER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Filling-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to' machines for lilling bottles with beer or other charged liquids and its object is to accomplish the iilling operation without the loss of gas in suspension in the liquid and withoutthe production of foam in the bottles. attainment of this primary object the invention also has for its object to utilize the pressure in the liquid tank for closing the liquid valve; to establish a counter-pressure in the bottle before the liquid valve is opened; to operate the liquid valve by a diaphragm and cause the valve to open by equalizing the pressure on both sides of the diaphragm; and to close the liquid valve by exhausting the pressure on one side of the diaphragm.

Another important object of the invention is to close the liquid valve before releasing the pressure on the bottle so that there will be no liability of liquid being discharged into the bottle after the pressure is released. And still another object of the invention is to provide a filling mechanism of simple and novel construction which requires no stuiing boxes in the liquid tank and which embodies a liquid valve located at the lower end of the filling tube and o erated by pressure in the tank to prevent ripping.

In the accompanying drawings illustratin one embodiment of the invention Figure 1 1s a sectional elevation showing the valves in closed position and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in iilling position.

Referrin to the drawings; 3 designates the body o the filling mechanism which `is secured in an opening 4 in the bottom of the liquid tank 5 by bolts 6, as shown, or by any other suitable means. A depending filling tube 7 is secured to the body and communicates with the fluid passage 7 therein. A valve casin 8 is secured beneath the body 3 by a threa ed ring 9 and in the construction illustrated in the drawings this valve casing is reduced in diameter at 8 and it is provided above said reduced part with a conical seat 10 for the air valve 11 which is adapted to move vertically in the casing on the filling v tube. The valve 11 is conical 1n shape where In the it engages the seat 10 and cylindrical in shape at 11A to it snugly in the casing above the valve seat; The valve' also has a sleeve 12 which extends downward through the reduced part of the valve casing and carries a head 13 at its lower end below the casing 8. This head 13 is provided on its underside with a gasket 14 and on its upper side with a circular rib 15 to engage the gasket 16 at the lower end of the valve casing. An air passage 17 is rovided between the lilling tube and the sleeve 12 to communicate with the radial passages 18. A'

spring 19 is arranged on the filling tube within the air chamber 20 and between the body 3 and a stuling box 21 at the upper end of the air valve 11 and this spring normally holds said valve seated to close the air inlet passage 22.

If it is desired merely to equalize the pressure in the bottle and the tank before the filling o eration begins the air pressure may be supp ied through a tube 23 extending up in the liquid tank above the level of the liquid thereinl in a familiar manner, but,if it is desired to obtain a greater pressure in the bottle than in the liquid tank this air tube may be connected with a suitable source of air supply. The latter arrangement is employe to compensate for the hydrostatic head ofthe liquid in the filling tube which is of more or less importance as the ease may be under the varying conditions which exist in bottling houses.

The liquid valve 24 is arranged to seal the lower end of the lling tube and is carried by a rod 25 which is connected at its upper end to a diaphragm 26. This diaphragm is secured in a casing'designated generally 27 and provided with a pressure chamber 28 below the diaphragm and a counter-pressure chamber 29 above the diaphragm. The casing also comprises a. removable cap 30 and collar 31 and two tubular members 32 which` register with openings 33 in the bed 3. The tubular members are of sufficient length to support the upper part of the casing above the usual level 34 of the liquid in the tank. Air tubes 35 lead oli from the tubular members 32 and communicate with passages 36 which open into the counter-pressure chamber 29. 'Ifhe opening 37 in the casing 27 through which the rod 25 passes is sutliciently large to permit constant communication between the the counter-pressure chamber2 9 as the air` valve is closing so that the liquid valve maybe closed before the air valve isseated. A

by-pass 39 is located in the casing 8 so that it will not betopened until the exhaust opening 38 is closed. on the upwardmovem'ent oliy the air valve and 'so that it will be closedgbe-l vfore the exhaust opening is opened on the downward movement of the air valve.

A centering bell 40is slidably arranged on the filling tube 7 to roperly position the' bottles thereon, and it' as a' circular rib 41 at its upper end to engage the gasket 14 on' the headY 13 of the air valve. 4The'bell has an air passage 42 to register with the passage .17.

In practice the airjvalve is held normally closed by the spring 1 9 and the liquid valve is held normally closed by the pressure in the chamber 28 under the diaphragm, the chamber 29 above the diaphragm being open to the atmosphere through the passages 36, tubes 35, tubular members 32, openin s 33, Achamber 20 and exhaust o ening 38. -hen a bottle 43 is moved up to lling position the 'centering bell rst engages the head 13 and unseats the air valve 11 to admit pressure to the bottle, which pressure, as before stated, may be. equal toor greater than the ressure in the/liquid tank and taken there v rom or elsewhere.' As the air valve is unseated and pushed upward against the spring 19the pressure isfirst admitted to the bottle, as just stated, then the exhaust opening 38 is closed, and then the by-pass 39 is-opened to admit pressure tothe counterpressure chamber 29A above the' diaphragm'. 'Thus the pressure abovethe diaphragm is equalized with or made greater than the pressure below the diaphragm and this permlts the liquid v alve to open. If the pressure on both sidesof the diaphragm is equalized the liquid valve will lopen b ity and the weight of the column o llquid sustained thereby; if thereis a greater pressureabove than below theA diaphragm this will assist in opening the li uid valve. The head 13 is permitted a su cient travel to open the bypass 39 andy there lshould be` sullicient time between the opening of communication between the air inlet 22 and the bottle and the o ening of the byass to enable the desire pressure to be esta lished in the bottle and the exhaust opening39 to be closed. Thus the liquid valve is opened by the same pressure that is admitted to the bottle but'not until the counter-pressure. has

been fully established'in the bottle sothat i when the liquid valveis opened the liquid will iowl dead into the bottle and without gravl,

the loss of gas or the (production of foam. lWhemthebottle is fille v and lowered on the illing'tube Ythe spring 19 presses' the valve' 11 to its'seat thereby irst 'closing -thevby'- pass, then opening 4the'exhaust opening and finally .closing the airrinlet' 22. When the exhaustopening is opened on the downward movement.- of theV air valve -the ressure ,diaphragm te @105e the l liquidi valve. This. takes place, before the air 1nlet .22 is closed liquid valve which prevents any liability of'liquid bein vdischargedinto the bottle while the bott e is being removed from the Atle has been withdrawn. f y' What I claim and desire to secureby Let-l ters Patent is: r

1. In .a counter-pressure filling machine,

tube depending from the tank, a liquid valve, means operated by the pressure in the tank for holding said valve normally closed, a counter-pressure supply, -means for establishing communication between the counterpressure supply and the bottle before the filling valve is opened, means operated by permit said valve to open after the counter'- `pressure has been established in the4 bottle, and means'for maintaining said pressure on the bottle after the filling Valve is closed.

2. In a counter-pressure filling machine, the combination of a liquid tank, a liquid valve," and means operated by the pressure on1 the liquid. in the tank for closing said f va ve.-

4thecombination of a li'quid tank, -a liquid valve, and means operated by the pressure on theliq-uid in the tank for closing and holding said valve normally closed., 4. In a counter-pressure {the combination of a liquid tank, a liquid valve,means operated by the ressure on the liquid'` in the tank for :holding said valve g normally closed, and means independent of the pressure in theV tank 'for overcoming said pressure. operating to hold the Valve close l, to permit the valve to open. 5.. In a" counter-pressure Ifthe combination of a liquid tank, a liquid lvalve, `means 'operated by the.pressure on the liquid in the tank for holding said valve normally closedi, and inde ndent means for` Icwinter-balancing said pressure to permit I the valve to open.

6. In a counter-pressure filling machine, -the vcombination of a liquid tank, a liquid valve, a 'diaphragm connected to said valve i 3. In a counter-pressure filling machine,l-

abovethe 'diaphragm escapes and t epresc i -.sure below the diaphragmthen operates the and .hence the air remains-on thegf. i bottle'during and afterthe closingof the v* c filling tube or after the pressure on thebot'vv 'y i I the combination of aliquid tank, a lilling a5 pressure from the counter-pressure supply f' for counter-balancing the pressure which.. holds the fillingvalve normally closed toieo filling machine,

ifi-f5 i 12o filling machine," r

and operated by the pressure in the tank to hold the valve normally closed, and Ameans for overcoming said pressure to open the valve.

7. In a counter-pressure filling machine, the combination of a liquid tank, a .liquid valve, a diaphragm connected to said valve, said diaphragm being subjected on one side thereof to the 'pressure in the tank, and' sure in the tankand to a pressure asgreat as the pressure in the tank.

-9. In a counter-pressure filling machine, the combination of a liquid tank, a filling tube depending from the tank, a liquid valve at the lower end of said tube, and means operated by the pressure in the tank for closing said valve.

10. In a counter-pressure filling machine,

the combination of a liquid tank, a filling tube depending from the tank, a liquid yalve at the lower end of said filling tube, means l operated by the pressure in the tank for holding said Valve normally closed, and means for counter-balancing said pressure t0 permit the Valve to open.

11.,In a counter-pressure filling machine, y

the combination of a liquid tank, a filling tube depending from the tank, a liquid valve, j

a diaphragm connected to said valve and operated by the pressure in the tank to hold the valve normally closed, and means for overcoming said pressure to open the Vaiwe.

l2. In a counter-pressure filling machine, the combination of a liquid tank, a filling tube depending from the tank, a liquid valve at the lower end of said tube, a diaphragm Within the tank, a rod connecting said diaphragm and valve, said diaphragm being normally subjected to thepressure in thel tank to hold the Valve closed, and means for counter-balancing lsald pressure to permit the Valve to open.

FRANK o. H. sTRAsBiJRGER.

' Witnesses:

WM. O. BELT, M. A. KIDDIE., 

